her reputation. You’re clever—I’m sure you can put it together.”
“Hmm.” She nodded, deep in thought. “Yeah, I can see that. She alluded to it before, actually. Maybe in her own misguided way, she thought she was doing me a favour. What about James, though? How did he end up being involved?”
A smug smile flitted across his face briefly, before he caught himself. “It was an easy way to drive a wedge between you, and I knew it would work. I knew Cavendish was a jealous, possessive hothead and would jump to the wrong conclusion—well, the right conclusion, for the outcome I wanted.”
I stiffened, the rage that had disappeared just a minute ago back in full force. “Why is it that every fucking word out of your mouth makes me want to put my fist through it?” I gritted out.
He rolled his eyes but wisely didn’t say anything else.
“How did you persuade James?” Winter spoke carefully.
“A pile of guilt about family loyalty and our rivalry with the Cavendishes. A well-timed black eye when that didn’t work.”
I looked at him closely, noting the shifty look in his eyes. He was holding something back, I could tell. Z must’ve noticed, too, because he stepped forwards, brandishing the knife. Joseph shrank back. “Okay, okay! I’ll tell you the rest.” He took a deep breath. “The black eye didn’t work, either, so I had to get creative, and he realised he’d have to give in. The threat of me using my TA position to alter the records for the class you had with me so you’d fail was enough to persuade him. Oh, and fail your friend Drummond, too.”
Winter gasped, and I stared at him. “You—you’re a despicable person. Who abuses their position like that?” Her voice shook slightly, and I tightened my arm around her, pulling her against my chest.
“It’s nothing personal. We’re just on different sides.”
“That’s the weakest excuse I ever heard.” Her voice was flat.
He stared at her unrepentantly. Next to me, Zayde cleared his throat, and I decided to move it along. We were running out of time, and we needed our answers before it was too late. “Next question. Why were you and your dad meeting with Christine tonight?”
“I can’t answer that.”
“Can’t, or won’t?”
He shook his head, and Z stepped forwards. The shallow cut on Hyde’s arm, barely even a graze, had stopped bleeding. Zayde touched the tip of his blade to the cut, and a small drop of blood appeared on Hyde’s skin. He flinched, mumbling a stream of expletives under his breath, but no answer was forthcoming. Z applied light pressure, and a thin trickle of blood made its way down his arm.
A hiss of pain escaped from between his gritted teeth. “Fine! I’ll tell you. And you’d better make sure this doesn’t get back to anyone. Not to Christine, and especially not my father, because my life won’t be worth living.” Raw fear was rolling off him in waves, and Z suddenly straightened up with a muttered curse, throwing the knife down with a clatter.
What the fuck? Pretty much shocked into silence, Winter and I watched as he used the torn sleeve of Hyde’s hoodie, pressing it down on the cut to stem the bleeding.
“What’s going on?” Winter ventured.
“His dad isn’t a nice person” was all Z said, and I frowned but continued on with my line of questioning, aware that time was moving on. Over in the corner of the room, I could hear Allan’s struggles as he fought against his own bonds.
“Tell us what you know.”
He took a deep, shaky breath. “She’s been working with my father for a long time. They’ve been plotting to take over Alstone Holdings. I’ve never been privy to the ins and outs, but I know that there’s the deal going down tomorrow with the De Witts, and she was going to make a move after that.” Glaring at us, he added, “I probably would have found out more, if you hadn’t interrupted the meeting tonight and fucking kidnapped me.”
Fuck. Working together for a long time? I shouldn’t have been surprised. That woman was a snake, pure and simple.
“What move was she going to make?” Winter asked softly.
“I honestly don’t know. My father keeps all his cards close to his chest.”
I let out a growl of frustration. “Is there anything else you can tell us?”
He shook his head. “Nothing, except those guys at the meeting tonight? I know she’s paying them a lot of money, and I know they don’t